A refreshing change.

 Full disclosure for those that may have just tuned in.  3 years ago this past August 27th, I had a mild heart attack ( didn't feel mild at the time).  No blockages, so that was good.  However, my cholesterol has been a concern since as far as my physicians were concerned.  It wasn't elevated and no blockages, but they wanted it even lower.  They also wanted my weight down more.  So did I.  That we agreed on.  We've just disagreed how to get there.  Funny thing was I was actually down 63 lbs from my highest weight and at the healthiest point in my entire life! 

The past three years have been stressful to say the least.  As a result My weight was up.  To be totally honest, it was up 26 pounds.  26 pounds!  YIKES.  But notice I said "was up".  It's now down 7 pounds from there.  I'm hopeful this is it and I have reclaimed things, but I'm not willing to claim that yet.  However, I will take the 7 pounds.  It's a daily journey.

So knowing my weight is up, and with now a history of heart disease; I headed to two doctor visits ( one day apart).  I'll tell you I was loaded forbear.  I was ready for a fight.  I was totally ready to deal with a vaccine push by my doctors; an Endocrinologist, and a Cardiologist!  

Know what?  Aside from a questionnaire about general health information that included a question of "  have you been vaccinated for Covid 19"( to which I answered "No"); nothing was mentioned.  Nothing.  Both visits were completely normal ( aside from having to wear a mask ((eye roll)). 

I have to say it was quite a nice change.  I still had bodily autonomy at my doctors office.  I really did appreciate it.  There are now at least two physicians I know that still respect the "Patient Bill of Rights".  Yes that is actually a thing.   To read the full version, you're welcome to click here

Here's a couple from the list I thought to highlight:

1)  The right to Refuse care

2)  The right to agree or refuse to take part in medical research studies without it affecting patient's care.

3) The right to give informed consent prior to the administration of any non emergent care by receiving  information on the benefits, risks, alternatives to a particular treatment, as well as benefits and risks of those alternatives.  

4) The right to have respect shown for the your( and my) values, beliefs and wishes.

It was nice to see that still in action in my neck of the woods.  If it isn't in your's, then fight for it!  You have rights as a patient.  Don't let them tell you otherwise.  

I will leave with this one little bit of new info I've discovered.  I was shocked to see that my cholesterol, which is usually really good, had shot up to 238!  It has never been over the 180's, even when I was very overweight and eating junk.  Guess what?  According to WebMD, stress over a long period of time can release large amounts of cortisol and can increase cholesterol levels!  That's news!  

It's not like we've all been under excessive amounts of stress lately have we?  NAH!

Needless to say I'm working to get those levels back where they need to be.  I'm moving, and getting my weight down.  It's a daily journey.  

 I'll update when I can. 

Well I guess I'm a walkin contridiction

So it would seem I guess.  Since our government in it's infinite wisdom (not) can't seem to catch up with all of the studies regarding the benefits of full fat dairy, our medical providers continue to recommend the low fat version.  Ya know cause the government doesn't do anything wrong.  In fact, I believe a lot of the info out there is wrong.  Just plain wrong.  Are you wondering what has sent me on this ti raid today?  Scientific proof that I'm onto something.  Something happened today that brought about one more trip by me down the weight loss blogging lane.

Today was my yearly appointment with my endocrinologist.  She has been unaware of my weight loss, and so I was excited to get to this appointment.  Seriously could not wait to get to the weigh in and see her.  The wait was worth it.  She was thrilled.  Not only weight, but A1C levels are way down and now there is "No sign of pre-diabetes in you"(her words).  My pulse, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc were all down and in a normal range.  All of this magic happened not because I ate more oats, took a medication, followed some weird diet, etc.  In fact I told her I'd been concerned about my cholesterol because I'd been having eggs just about every day.  BTW, cholesterol went from 188 to 169.  Anyhoo, it happened because I counted calories, controlled portions, and was active.  Now I know that sounds a lot like dieting, but for one thing.  I counted calories and controlled portions with REAL food; sure nuff honest to goodness full fat, or sweetened varieties, leans meats, fruits and veggies.  And bread, I do have bread some.

I've come here to reiterate that 1200 calories of real food IS SO different than 1200 calories of fat free sugar free food.  I know with the diet foods you feel like you can eat more.  Visually it looks like more food.  Problem is your body knows the difference.  When I ate that way, I never could stay on track.  By evening I was eating everything in sight.  I may last a few days, but nothing longer than that.  Eating real food has allowed me to be in control.  All of these years of fighting to stay on track and beating myself up when I failed, are gone.  It wasn't my lack of will power.  It was my body fighting to function correctly.  There are a lot of things in my life for which I can accept blame.  This isn't one of them.

By the way.  My activity is not a structured workout routine.  In fact I'll balk at that.  My activity is living my life.  I am active in housecleaning, lawn maintenance, gardening, etc.  What needs doing normally is my activity.  Now if I was still at a sedentary job I may still have to have a structured workout routine.  Not sure I'm mentally there to make myself exercise.  As a result, not sure I would have been this successful if I still sat at a desk.  Never thought I would hear myself say this, but if I ever went back to work (outside the home), I would have to have an active job.

We can argue the benefits or necessity of a structured workout verses an active lifestyle, but the one thing I can't accept is the need for diets and/or diet foods.   It's like I was telling a friend the other day.  It's like dieting is our drug of choice.  The diet industry is the pusher.  They give you the first week free or some other discount to get started.  You're successful for a time.  Some more than others.  Then it isn't sustainable and it's your fault?  These plans are set up to either keep you on them indefinitely or have you coming back repeatedly.  Either way, they get your money.  You are a source of income.  No more, no less.

I feel like Ponce De Leon, with the fountain of youth, except I've found what I sought.  I have the answer!  I just want to tell everyone!  You don't have to buy my book.  You don't have to buy special foods.  You don't even have to buy special ingredients.  There is no need for fitness equipment.  Funny.  God saw fit to give us everything we need for our bodies to be able to function at full capacity.  Why do we feel the need to change anything?  He gave us food to eat (all food groups cause He's thorough like that).  He gave us muscles to move, and He gave us his word.  Proverbs 23: vs 1-3 says "When you sit and dine with a ruler, note well what is put before you.  Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.  Do not crave his delicacies for that food is deceptive".  Seems a bit of an extreme, but the message is clear.  Control yourself.  Proverbs 25:16 " Have you found honey?  Eat only what you need that you not have it in excess and vomit it.". So, yea, a little sweet is fine, but don't make yourself sick.  Notice it doesn't say instead eat some artificial synthetic (was planning on being paint thinner) sweetener to save calories.  Just sayin.

I'm tired of people having to put their life on hold to watch their weight.  I can't do this or that because I can't expose myself to "this or that".  Family events are mind fields and not something to be enjoyed.  I'm tired of not wanting to be in a picture because it's a reminder of my size.  I'm tired of worrying about the holidays coming around because it means rich high calorie food.  I'm tired of feeling like I'm not strong enough to control myself.  That there is something wrong with me.  Some defect no one else has.  My life is not on hold anymore.  I am in control.  I can go where I want, eat what I want.  Family events are now events only.  I will proudly stand in a picture even though I still have another 40 lbs to go.  Holidays are holidays.  I was not and am not defective.  What I was eating was.

Please, please, please.  Hear what I'm saying.  Try it.  To save calories, cut out what is "eh" and keep what is a "have to have" (veggies and fruits are have to have you know).  Mine was bread, pasta or rice.  I keep what is the most enjoyable to me and save the bread/pasta/rice for last.  If I have the calories I may add a little, but it comes after coffee with cream and sugar and an evening smore.  Priorities my dear Watson.

I made a pumpkin pie this morning cause it's 57 degrees which here is cool for the beginning of fall.  I wanted it for breakfast, but it wasn't ready in time.  I prefer it chilled anyway so it will be on the docket for tomorrow.  It is true pumpkin pie minus one thing; a crust.  Now that it's out of the oven, I'm on my way outside to finish up some work in the garden.  Tonight is a pizza night.  I'll be at my moms, but the guys want pizza.  When I come in I'll make the crust and get every thing together for them to bake it.  See?  Activity is my workout.  This is how I do it.  Yours will be different, but for one thing.  No diet foods Please!

Welcome to One-derland!

All my life I've fought with my weight.  Well at least the vast majority of it.  I went on my first diet around age 9.  That was almost fo..... ah er never mind.  It was the Weight Watcher program my mom was on.  Over the years I've dieted and gained back more weight than before.  So much so that I was loathe to diet ever again.  Statistics say that only 5% of the people that lose weight manage to maintain the loss.  How hopeful is that?  Over the last 4-5 years I've managed to maintain about half of the weight lost last time I dieted (which wasn't a lot), but have watched some creep back on this past holiday season. Yet I dug my heals in and would do nothing because I was not willing to face another loss then gain.  My frustration with weight loss comes from supposedly all this "help" in the form of special made foods, gyms, weight loss programs, etc and still I have the extra weight.  We're surrounded by low fat, fat free, sugar free everything,weight loss programs,weight loss pills, bariatric surgery, etc and yet, according to Bloomberg Business, obesity rates are up 90% since 1995 in 17 states..  Just 20 years. Why?  Well I think I now know.

 We are being trained to stay habitually dieting. 

 Take a look at the weight loss industry, and it is an industry, a  multi million dollar industry.  Photo shopped actresses and models show us what we should look like.  So in seeking that "normalcy"we turn to yet another diet, supplement, or workout program.  Eat bread, don't eat bread.  Carbs are good.  Carbs are bad... Low fat, No fat, good fat, etc.  Every year sees a multitude of new diet books on the shelf and  those same books are later found on the book shelves of thrift stores.  However, America as a whole gets bigger.  We're in a cycle that benefits the weight loss industry immensely, but us...not so much.  I understand the health benefits of a healthy weight.  I also know not all skinny people are healthy and not all fat people are sick.  I was considered obese by government standards, yet my blood pressure, cholesterol, pulse rate, A1C, etc were all normal.  I wanted to lose weight, but whatever changes needed to be permanent, healthy, and doable without adding to the weight loss industries coffers.

 I think I'm finding my way.  What am I saying?  I did find a way!  For the first time in 24 years I'm in "One-derland"!  In other words my weight now starts with a 1.  Now a lot of people can tout a weight loss, but will it last?  I believe this will for me and I'll tell you why.  There are no gimmicks.  It really is calories in, calories out, but it's real food.  It's portion control.  It's living my life.  For the first time in my life I'm losing weight without feeling like I'm holding on by my finger tips.  I've lost since Jan 30th 2016, 31 lbs.  It's been seemingly effortless!  I wanted to share these findings with you.  There's a way to lose weight without tasteless food, deprivation, boredom, feeling left out, etc.  While you might think my tips are anecdotal; I've found,for me,they work.  In fact this post has been a work in progress over the past few months.  I didn't want to say anything about tips or success until I knew this was working.  You may not want to use all of these tips.  That's okay. Take what you want, leave the rest.  Whatever tips I may pass on, the greatest one is to do what works best for you.  This is best for me.  Originally this was going to be in one post, but I know you have a life and don't need to be spending it in front of a computer reading all of this.  So I broke it up into separate posts.

 Welcome to part 1.

1) Choose your battles wisely - First of all, a Disclaimer*** I don't care how much they say you can lose weight without counting and measuring.  You will fail if you don't teach yourself portion control.  Weighing and measuring is the only way to teach yourself.  Accept that.  Now, that being said....

I LOVE COFFEE!  This is a weird statement for me because up until about 5-6 years ago, I never touched the stuff.  I loved the smell, but hated the taste.  Once I started drinking it I was hooked.  You know it's bad when you go to bed at night and the last thing you think of before sleep is "tomorrow I get coffee!".  I have to have cream and sugar in my coffee.  I've tried to learn to drink it black, but that ain't happening.  Artificial sweeteners and Stevia make it taste bitter.  I've had multiple false starts mainly due to the fact that, in order to have coffee, I had to count those calories.  This time around I asked myself " what foods did I want more? What foods can I live without.".  I knew, because of my Thyroid issues, I needed to keep my protein levels high normal and my carbs low normal.  Because of that I knew I needed to make sure I was getting protein at each meal and snack.  I also knew fruits and veggies are paramount for nutrients, fiber, etc.  I needed to make sure carbs came from those things first.  What food was last on my priority list?  The answer was bread, pasta, and/or rice.  Now don't get me wrong.  I haven't said "never" to those foods, but it is last on my list of important foods.  It's too many calories for the amount of enjoyment I get from it.  There are other foods that give way more enjoyment and or nutrition.  I still have plenty of carbs.  This is not a low carb diet.  I meet my range all the time according to Sparkpeople.  The Carbs come in the way of Fruits, Veggies, Coffee with cream and sugar, Homemade whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (2 are 120 calories), whole milk vanilla yogurt, etc.  I find if I have a high amount of protein at breakfast I will stay satisfied much longer.   I have also noticed that if I eliminate bread, rice, etc during one meal, I may can save it for another where it would be more enjoyable.  Here is an example of one day of eating for me right now:

Breakfast

2 eggs, scrambled in a little(4 grams) butter, 2 oz of whole milk vanilla yogurt on a cup of whole strawberries with a tsp of sure nuff chocolate syrup drizzled on top.  PLUS COFFEE!  Yum!

Mid Morning Snack (around 10:30 ish.  I don't always have this, but when I do)

3/4 oz Mozzarella Cheese and an apple

Lunch

5 oz Chicken breast
4 oz roasted carrots (new favorite thing)
Maybe a baked potato with a little (4gms) butter if I am really hungry, but I'm usually not.

Snack

3 TBS microwaved popcorn made in one of those microwave popcorn poppers (again if I had a late lunch this might be skipped)

Dinner 

Taco Salad with ground beef or turkey, 1/2  ( that's half yall) oz real cheddar cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and If I want to use the calories, on tortilla chips.  If I want to save calories for dessert I will forgo the chips and just have it on lettuce.

Dessert

Smores- 1 graham cracker, 1 large marshmallow, and 15 choc chips melted.

This is just an example of an average 1200-1500 calorie day, but I've had Papa Johns, Little Caesars (2 slices cheese pizza) Pizza, or Chic Fila (3 piece chicken tenders).  My husband and I went out to Texas Roadhouse for our anniversary and we had steak, house salad, and FRIES (we split his serving)!. I counted it!  We did make sure to tell the waitress we did not need the bread basket on the table.  Anyway, no food is off limits to me.  I had Dairy Queen ice cream cake for my birthday!  Well and the day after...cause...uh there were enough servings for each of us to have 2!  Knowing nothing is withheld from me is very freeing.  I just accept I have to have reasonable portions.  Know what?  I'm not hungry!  I don't feel left out!  There is a draw back.  You have to take the time to measure,count and record what you're eating. I use sparkpeople.com , but you can use whatever site works for you.  There are plenty to choose from.  You also have to make sure you are using plenty of fruits, veggies, and lean meats as your base.  The fun stuff is supposed to be ancillary. This is my and your responsibility.


 This is a marathon and not a sprint- Whatever method you use for your success needs to be something you can do for the long haul.  There will be days where you eat and don't count it, especially during the holidays.  Do it.  Give yourself that vacation from the plan with full knowledge and no guilt.  You are choosing to enjoy a family get together or party.  This doesn't mean you are derailed.  It means you control even then what you put in your mouth.  This also doesn't give you free reign to throw caution to the wind for the whole holiday season.  Pace yourself.  Resolve to get right back on track the following day.  Accept the consequences of your actions.  It's better to accept the small consequences of one day of vacation, than to allow that one day to derail everything you have worked on for months on end before you finally get control again.  This also works in emergencies.  Funny thing is that knowing I can have what I really want when I want it, has taken the power over me away from the food I eat and has put it into my hands.  I find most of the time a bite of something satisfies my desire to taste it and I can move on.

My next posts are ready to go and I will post them quickly so be on the look out.  I just wish I knew 20 years ago what I now know.